My 90 gallon Octo Tank (Work in progress)

[DWhatley]

Without photos, you can only get guesses (hint, hint). Does the plastic (or silicone) piece look like the plactic slide on binders for school report covers but is slotted on two sides? If so, this goes in the middle over the divider and the glass slides into each side. The stick on parts would be the handles to lift the top. If it does not look like the picture in the link, photos would help.

 

[Cody]

I don't think it's slotted on both sides, I'm pretty sure it's not. I can upload pictures at some point in time tomorrow night probably. I'd do it now but I'm actually posting from my phone because I'm already in bed...

I originally "shy'd" away from my filter trays because Joe-Ceph kinda argued against them..but I could just use the top tray vs. Using my/a filter sock and carbon, correct? Along with the protein skimmer and live rock of course.

 

[DWhatley]

IMO, the filter sock will be less mess and better filtration.

 

[Cody]

Oh, okay! I'd have to look up in my PM box what you said about your filter sock holder idea. Oh, I remember what else I wanted to post about.

I went to the LFS today and they have a R/O DI Five-Stage machine (or unit, I should say I guess .. added tnis once I realized it) for $200..It's rated for 100gpd on the box. I couldn't tell you the brand, the shipping box (I'm assuming it was) was opened but everything seemed to be in the box and in packaging with the exception of the actual unit. So therefore, I didn't pay attention to the brand, if there was one.. (on the box)

 

[DWhatley]

That is about twice what you can get them for on eBay and branding is not important. Anything over about 50 gpd can be ignored except for researching the cost of the replacement filter for the RO cartridge (you must replace the cartridge with an equivalent gpd cartridge if what I read is correct). As I mentioned, with normal household pressure, you will only get about a gallon an hour RO and 4 gallons of "waste" from any unit you buy (the higher your household pressure, the more RO and the less waste water).

 

[Cody]

Oh, okay. I forget what you said about which kind of machine to get. I could have it hooked up to my bathroom sink but I don't know that I could necessarily have it running 24/7 around the clock. Actually, I could probably have it in /one/ of my few bathrooms and it be fine there.

 

[Cody]

Alright, I took pictures of my glass top...and here's what I have.

This is one piece of the top, along with the plastic piece of which I'm not sure what I do with. (There's two sets, one for each side of course..)

And here's the plastic piece by itself..

 

[Cody]

D, I reviewed your PM that you had sent me regarding the R/O DI filter systems and I don't know which I should go with, haha. Both systems that you showed me aren't far from each other in price, so I don't really know what to do.

 

[DWhatley]

Do the glass pieces fit from back to front (seam going the long way over the tank) or is there a gap about the width of the "extra" plastic piece? I suspect there is a gap and the plastic piece has a groove on the thick side. The grove is for the back side of the glass and allows you to make holes for any cords or tubing that would need to go into the tank.

I think I showed you one with a canister style DI and one with a more traditional tube style DI resin container. I have the tube style and it is miserable to fill and seal. I don't know that the canister style is better but I suspect it would be and have thought about replacing mine with this style. You will also want a float valve on your water bucket so that you don't overflow the container (even if you only have it on one day a month). The float connects to the tubing and shuts the unit off when it reaches the float.

 

[Cody]

I figured that it might be what that's for. There's a gap but when I tried fitting it on the front, it doesn't fit 100%.. as in, there's too much plastic for what space is there. I could try it on the back though, don't know that it'll make a difference.

Both units come with the container to hold the water, correct?

Edit: Oh, I guess they don't, haha. The traditional one with the little DI resin container is what I assumed was the holding tank, I guess.

 

[DWhatley]

No, as you figured out the 3 gallon (that holds about 2 gallons at home water pressure) tank is something you have to get extra (some units do include it and most people have it available to add) if you want it. It is handy but the small tank is not large enough for the water you will need. You need to keep fresh water available for daily top off and then saltwater mixed for your weekly water changes. I recommend a 5 gallon a week saltwater exchange but others prefer a 10% monthly exchange. As water evaporates, you will be replacing it with fresh water and the rate of evaporation is different depending upon air exposure.

 

[Cody]

Oh, D, I noticed you'll be attending TONMOCON IV.. It's very close to me and I will more than likely be attending as well. The plastic piece /does/ fit on the back but the problem is that it is just long enough to where it covers the water area.. or the area where the frame isn't at. Another issue is going to be how I keep the hinged part down or flat, because it doesn't sit necessarily perfectly flat on top unless I push down on it.

 

[DWhatley]

Make sure the glass is all the way to the back of the slot, the top should fit if the back plate is snugged to the glass across the whole length (I don't like this kind of lid but it is similar to the replacement we bought for the nano. The back plate sits over the sump area in our case and I just rest it over the sump rather than having to deal with it when I change the filter but the nano is not an octopus tank). If you have to push on it then you will have to remember to do it anytime you open the lid and you will need a way to lock it down for an octopus.

We make our own "octo" lids and what I use to fasten them down is a hasp latch stuck on with automotive tape (love that stuff - any Auto Zone type store carries it but only get the kind made by 3-M). It is a double stick tape that is used to put trim on cars and hold pretty well (and can be removed). You have to play with it a little to get a snug fit but I use the hasps on most of my tanks. Unfortunately they don't seem to have a rod sized appropriately for the hole and I use broken off 3" pieces of bamboo skewers for most of them (the hinged part folds over on top of the square with the tab sticking up and then a rod is inserted in the hole).

You will need some kind of a handle to lift the front panel to feed and the part with tape may be what this is for (guessing from the picture of the smaller tank lid from the same company). However, if you use the hasp locks, the part that you tape to the glass will work as a handle (I use them this way on Tatanka's tank).

 

[Cody]

What I was saying is that the plastic piece fits over the gap between the frame and where the opening is barely..as in, there's not much extra plastic length-wise from left to right. I also don't exactly get how you would use these hasps..

Yes, the part with the adhesive on acts as a handle for the front... Like I said, I just need to figure out how to keep the tank top flat...

I should be visiting the LFS soon to buy my sump tank and can take a picture of the R/O DI unit that they have there on my phone. I think my mom may prefer to just buy it locally vs. buying it on Ebay.. (but that's just her..) and maybe you could help me find out whether it's the traditional DI or the canister type.. unless I can figure it out myself while I'm there, haha.

 

[Cody]

Needless to say, I'm frustrated. I bought a 20 gallon Long tank which measures 30"L x 12"W x 12"H and it doesn't fit in my stand, through the front cabinet or through the door on the side.. I even tried to take the door off to see if it made a difference to make the tank fit, and it still doesn't make it. My stand has an odd support-type piece on the end which makes it very difficult to make the tank fit.